Clergy
Rabbi Franklin’s tenure ends in 2012. To ensure a seamless transition in rabbinic leadership, the President and Board have formed a search committee to define the recruitment process and identify candidates for the next Rabbi to lead our community.
The search committee welcomes meaningful congregational involvement at all stages of this process. Details will be included in future e-blasts, the BMH-BJ website and the Scribe. Please contact bmhbj.rsc@gmail.com if you are interested in participating in this dynamic process.
Rabbi Selwyn Franklin
Rabbi Selwyn Franklin
Rabbi Selwyn Franklin, the spiritual leader of BMH-BJ Congregation, pursued his rabbinical studies at Yeshivot in Israel as well as Yeshiva University in New York. He was ordained by Rabbi J. B. Soloveitchik, the scion of the Modern Orthodox movement. At Yeshiva University Rabbi Franklin received his bachelors and masters degrees in philosophy and Jewish philosophy respectively. He has served congregations in North America, South Africa, Australia and Israel. While living in Israel he was also the director of public relations at University and lectured at the Orot Teachers Seminary in Petach Tikva.
Rabbi Franklin was an activist in the human rights struggle in South Africa where he was the founder patron of Jews for Justice, a group committed to the struggle for human rights during the Apartheid era. He is a former president of the organization of Rabbis of Australia and served as a member of the Sydney Bet Din.
Rabbi Franklin is committed to “endeavor to promote the cause of authentic Judaism through the facilities of the BMH-BJ Congregation,” which he believes is “uniquely placed to offer multiple entry points for Jews of all persuasions to discover their heritage.”
He would like to extend an invitation to all to contact him should they need any personal or spiritual guidance.
Cantor Joel Lichterman
Cantor Joel Lichterman
Cantor Joel Israel Lichterman has served in the Cantorate for over 30 years. At age 5, Joel was studying piano, and by age 16 recognized as a national award winning pianist, accompanist, musical arranger, conductor and trumpeter. He furthered his education at the University of Cape Town, UNISA (University of South Africa) and the Royal Schools of Music (London). He pursued intenstive cantorial studies with his father, Chazan Jakub Lichterman z”l.
He helped establish the Milnerton Hebrew Congregation becoming their first part-time cantor. He developed The Cape Town Jewish Choral Society into an impressive 60-voice adult choir, and implemented various multicultural and interdenominational outreach programs. Cantor Lichterman has held prestigious cantorial positions, with The Green & Sea Point Hebrew Congregation, South Africa’s largest synagogue, and Tikvat Israel, the Great Synagogue, South Africa’s landmark congregation. A strong believer of the Jewish day school system he actively served on the United Herzlia School Board.
On relocating to Denver in 1995, Cantor Joel quickly integrated into the community. He is both a contemporary and traditional Hazzan whose engaging personality invites and inspires all to participate in synagogue prayer and life. He is dedicated to cultivating and enriching a diverse, participatory, spiritual and learning community. His name is synonymous with Denver’s Jewish life and culture.
Cantor Joel co-officiates with the congregational Rabbis in all life-cycle events, sharing with them the diverse pastoral duties of an active congregation.
Cantor Joel is a bar and bat mitzvah coach ‘par excellence’ and remains friend and mentor to many of his students through adulthood. Among his many achievements are the establishment of the BMH-BJ male choir, which continues growing in proficiency and numbers, and the Kidz Korus, which performs on High Holidays and selected festivals, introducing children to the beauty of prayer and music.
Cantor Lichterman’s beautiful lyrical tenor voice has inspired and entertained audiences in South Africa, England and the United States, often with his brother Cantor Ivor Lichterman. In 2005 he was honorerd by BMH-BJ Congregation with a gala event for his ten years of outstanding service to the community and in 2008 was invited to sing the U.S. National Anthem at the annual AIPAC Conference in Washington, D.C.
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